A remote control apparatus has been used for remotely controlling the locking or unlocking of doors or trunk room of vehicle. This remote control apparatus utilizes an electrical radio signal or an optical signal. The remote control apparatus which utilizes radio signal operates an adequate actuator in accordance with data for locking and unlocking of doors or trunk room of vehicle by transmitting a radio signal moduleted by data from the transmitter carried by an operator and then receiving such radio signal with the receiver mounted to vehicle. Meanwhile, the remote control apparatus which utilizes an optical signal transmits an optical signal from the transmitter carried by an operator to the receiver mounted to vehicle and realizes locking or unlocking of doors or trunk room of vehicle in accordance with data with the receiver which has received such optical signal.
However, the remote control apparatus which utilizes radio signal described above provides an advantage that the remote control can be realized within the transmission range of radio signal due to the characteristic of radio frequency even when there is some shielding materials but also provides a problem that that the radio signal is transmitted with much power consumption and the operation life of a power supply battery comprised in the transmitter is comparatively short.
On the other hand, the remote control apparatus which utilizes an optical signal provides an advantage that power consumption for transmitting an optical signal is only one several tenths the power consumption for transmitting radio signal and thereby operation life of the power supply battery of transmitter can be extended but it also provides a disadvantage that the optical signal cannot be transmitted if there is a shielding materal such as a person or vehicle between the transmitter and receiver and therefore remote control is possible only within the visible distance.